Dragon Age: The Veilguardfans were intrigued from the moment Emmrich Volkarin, the suave “silver fox” Neverran necromancer, was revealed as a companion, but not all of that interest came from Emmrich himself, as dashing as he may be. Fans' attention was also immediately caught by Manfred, the chittering, gem-eyed skeleton who accompanies Emmrich when the necromancer joins the team. Although he’s a skeleton of few words, Manfred is in fact one ofDragon Age: The Veilguard’smost compelling characters, an absolute delight who provides levity in some of the game’s darkest moments.
This article contains Spoilers forDragon Age: The Veilguard.
Manfred Is A Breath Of Fresh Air As Conflict Escalates
The Veilguardstarts intense - with two elven gods escaping their confinement - and only gets darker from there, as the Blight engulfs Thedas and the gods gain supporters among theAntaamand Venatori. Amidst this darkness, Manfred’s consistently positive demeanor and adorable antics are a necessity. Players hanging out in the Lighthouse can often witness Manfred up to some of the following hijinks:
Although some of the companions are a bit nervous or thrown off by Manfred when Emmrich first joins the team, they quickly warm up to the adorable skeleton. Neve puts her detective skills to the test, learning about how he works - and even nicknames him “Fred,” which is picked up by several other companions. Bellara considers him a magical marvel, and even initially skeptical companions like Harding and Lucanis come around to the little guy. The result is Manfred sharing a “team pet” role with Assan, joining the likes ofFallout’sDogmeatandBaldurs Gate 3’sScratch and Owlbear Cub.
Manfred’s Vocal Performance Is A Triumph For Actor Matt Mercer
Some fans were surprised to see that Manfred is voiced by veteran voice actor Matt Mercer, known for roles in titles such asThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomandFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth.However, Mercer brings a delightful life to the character, despite Manfred’s limited vocabulary. Most of his vocalizations are a simple “hiss” or perhaps “pleased hiss” or “annoyed hiss,” but the skeleton’s incorrigible curiosity and light-hearted personality come through in each one.
Mercer is no stranger to comedic roles - most notably his turn asMinsc inBaldur’s Gate 3- but he gets the opportunity to take Manfred’s limited vocalizations in a surprisingly heartwarming direction. Gradually, over the course of Emmrich’s companion quests, Manfred gains the ability to speak a few words. He displays his signature joy at the revelation, happily cheering “Yes!” multiple times when expressing his devotion to Emmrich.
Ultimately, at the conclusion of his story, Manfred sacrifices himself for Emmrich, and the mage can choose to revive him or not. If Manfred is revived, he gains a greater ability to speak, articulating single words and short phrases in his signature squeaky yet raspy voice. This leads to an adorable scene where Emmrich tries to teach “proper” language to Manfred, despairing at his use of slang like “Dunno.” The heartwarming increases further as it turns out that one of the first words Manfred learned - as the skeleton happily displays by shouting it repeatedly - is “Rook!”
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
WHERE TO PLAY
Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.
